I ran 4 miles today. I used to run 13 to 15 miles on a Saturday but things have changed since then and now I realise I’m back to basics. I mean, I’m still a runner but I’m a lot slower than I used to be due to having a tough time over lockdown. I want to utilise my time though and coach those beginning to run, just like I am.

So, How Do I Run Further?

I get asked this time and time again, “How do you start running, Dan?”, “How do you keep going without stopping?”. The truth is BELIEF, if you believe you can run a certain distance you can. Next Tuesday I’m going to run 5 miles, the following Tuesday 6 miles. You see I’m increasing my mileage and it will happen because I believe it will happen. Not long ago I was at the National Running Show in Birmingham, Steve Cram was talking about how elite athletes do what they do, he basically said it was all about belief. Having Aspergers I believe I can do a lot of things, simple things too that would be so much more easier for someone without autism. For example, taking a telephone call, I really struggle on the phone BUT I believe I can take a call when I really need too.

So You’re Saying Just Believe

Essentially YES. Put your running clothes by your bed the night before, that way there’s no turning back. Of course you have to think about pacing yourself, making sure you’re running not too fast at the start, having plenty of fluids, ensuring you’re in the right mindset. Establish these things and you’ll get around. See you can apply this attitude to anything in life, believe, give 100% to it and you will. I was watching a TED talk last week and it was talking about how long it takes to learn something new, it apparently takes 100,000 hours, no it doesn’t it takes 20 solid hours of effort to get good at a skill, it takes 100,000 hours to be an expert at a skill. And all this is belief…